Google Puts AdWords Into Orbit

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Google has taken another step toward integration with offline media channels, partnering with XM Satellite Radio to let its advertisers bid on paid spots in XM’s non-music channels. XM’s music programming will remain commercial free.

The partnership, which will be implemented in Q4, expands Google's AdWords platform to satellite radio for the first time. The ad management process will flow through Newport Beach, Calif.-based dMarc Broadcasting, which Google acquired in January.

“This partnership with XM Satellite Radio will provide a powerful marketing and distribution tool for Google advertisers,” said Ryan Steelberg, Google’s head of radio operations, in a statement. “By providing access to XM’s premier satellite audience, Google advertisers will have an easy way to target, schedule, deliver and measure satellite radio campaigns in a timely and efficient manner.”

dMarc's automated advertising platform connects advertisers directly to radio stations, handling the sales, scheduling, delivery and reporting processes. Its technology performs much the same auction-based sales, ad serving, payment and reporting functions of AdWords, but for radio ads instead of online ads.

For XM, Google's technology automatically schedules and inserts advertising across the company's non-music commercial channels, decreasing the costs previously associated with processing campaigns.

Google's expansion into satellite radio is only the latest step in the company's dalliance with traditional media venues. Last year, the company tested a program to resell print ads in magazines, and it has placed print ads in newspapers.

XM has seven million subscribers nationwide.